Somewhere in Between
by simba317
Summary: Ever wonder what happened in the development of Eric and Sookie in the gaps between books that sometimes span months? This attempts to answer that in a series of oneshots. #1: Too Fast, Too Soon- Eric plays a prank on Sookie.


**Disclaimer:** Don't own the Sookie Stackhouse novels but feel free to send Eric my way.

**Author's Notes:** We did a LOT of driving around Atlantic Canada on our vacation…meaning I had a lot of time to read. I read basically 3 books, the first in the Chicagoland Vampires series and DUD and LDID.

It was interesting…it really was. I have to say that I liked DUD better the second time around, but it still fell apart for me once Sookie and Bill had sex and confessed their love for each other. I was like…WHAT!? It's WAAAAAAY too soon! LDID is just a fun, fun read. It was so great to recall that. The second read of those two books sort of allowed me time to reflect on things, and read things more closely and pick up on details.

We all know this line: ""Angelic Sookie, vision of love and beauty, I am prostrate that the wicked evil maenad violated your smooth and voluptuous body, in an attempt to deliver a message to me." It made me laugh and fall in love with Eric because of his humour and sarcasm. And I couldn't help but pick up on the fact that Eric and Sookie seemed to have some sort of rapport. Sure, Sookie isn't totally into him just yet, but there was more familiarity with them, enough that Eric could joke with her. You sensed that they had seen each other a few times since the first book. I just struck up upon a plot bunny when I read that Sookie and Bill had fought…lol.

This story will basically be a collection of oneshots that fill the space in between books to the events that are somewhat alluded to, but we never see. There are huge gaps in narrative…months sometimes and I wanted to embellish those. I mean, Eric must have gotten Sookie to do a few things in the months in between books. I just don't buy that they wouldn't see each other for months at a time…

I kinda wanted to include this scene in Every Sunset…but it just didn't fit, nor did any of my other ideas for interim scenes between Eric and Sookie. Nothing that happened in the canon of the books will be changed, but it's sort of like my version of deleted scenes.

* * *

**TOO FAST, TOO SOON**

I was twenty-five, unmarried, dating two months and without my virginity for the same time too. He had asked me to move in. It seemed practical, it really did, but it was two months! Wonderful months, but still only two months. It was too soon. It really was.

We had fought about it and I just couldn't leave the Stackhouse residence where generations of my family had resided. Gran had just passed…It was too close, too quick and this was my home!

I had stomped out across the graveyard, after hopping off the bed and pushing Bill off me, hurriedly pulling on my clothes.

"Don't you follow me, Bill Compton!" I yelled, shaking a finger at him. I felt white rage at his audacity and his inability to just back off the issue at hand. He was trailing me across the cemetery between our houses. I was not amused.

"Darling, come back! You can't be serious!" Bill said at me clad in khakis.

"I'm dead serious."

A grim line set into his mouth and I turned on my heel and straightened my white dress. It was strapless and made of thin embroidered cotton with a sweetheart neckline, hitting above the knees and billowing out from my hips. Currently, the back was unzipped and my matching espadrilles were in my hands with my purse. My strapless bra and a good deal of my back were on show for anyone who happened to come down the parish roads, but I just didn't care at the moment.

As I zipped up the back of the dress and tramped along the damp grass, I turned my head to see that Bill had indeed listened. I huffed, turned back to my task at hand.

My hair looked a mess. The waves were still partially clipped in. I released the clip and combed out the strands.

Well, my night was most definitely officially ruined.

When I got to the house, I realized that I simply could not stay in the one spot Bill would almost certainly come as soon as he was dressed and thought I had cooled down. No, I wasn't willing to let this issue to slide. At all.

I couldn't stay.

I couldn't stay at my house, nor at any place in Bon Temps Bill would find me. And I needed a stiff drink.

This was how I found myself at Fangtasia, the Vampire bar in Shreveport.

It was near closing on a Tuesday night and the bar was particularly empty. There had been some state football event down in New Orleans. I was nursing a gin and tonic that had been poured my Pam with a scowl beset on her face. I guess mixing drinks was beneath her. Too bad her boss, Eric, killed the former bartender, Long Shadow.

"What are you doing here?"

It was how Eric had greeted me from my dark corner of the bar nursing my second drink with my head in my hands. I saw him cast me an interested grin from the tops of my eyelashes. He must have been walking across the floor to make sure things were running smoothly. I was a bit surprised at his wardrobe. Why he could almost pass for any old human in it. Gone were the vest, jeans and biker boots and it its place a soft white v-necked t-shirt with a pair of worn jeans fit snugly with a pair of flip flops. Flip flops!

"Drinking a gin a tonic." It was really none of his business.

Eric took this as invitation to slide into the chair across from me. He slouched deeply into the chair, but still took up more space with his presence and size, my personal space that is. It helped that he was taller than 6'4". He even stretched out his legs and crossed them at the ankles, purposefully brushing them against mine. I glared.

"This is my table."

"This is my bar."

He smirked and pulled his arms behind his head, showing off his chest and abdominals in the process, "Trouble in Paradise?"

"None of your business."

"So why are you patronizing my bar?"

My eyes whipped into his, his penetrating, teasing, determined eyes and I thought fast, "You said that you and Bill had worked something out to train my abilities for…my work?" I still wasn't used to being an asset, like some sort of object. Vampires.

He leered at me, his eyes sliding from my head, down my body and continuing down, like the table top wasn't obscuring his view and said raising one golden eyebrow, "I like your work outfit."

"Thanks," I said tartly, brushing my messy hair from my face.

Eric laughed and humoured me, as his eyes pinning a familiar blonde waitress and signally her with a gesture of his hand.

"At least you are dressing yourself now," he commented. I scowled. He was referring to the times Bill had brought me into Fangtasia previously to discuss a few things regarding his new position as the Investigator of Area Five. I would be all dolled up in an outfit of his choosing and then we would arrive at Fangtasia, make a grand entrance, to which he would deposit me at the bar and meet with Eric in his office. I never knew what went on in the Secret Vampire Meeting. I never saw the point in Bill's bringing me on those days. It served no real purpose as far as I could see and I was bored then too. Yet, it always made me feel like I was put on display in a room of lions. It was uncomfortable for I was the gazelle.

"It is easier for you to work with someone familiar, correct?" he said as the blonde glided across the room in her Morticia Addams dress.

"Yes."

"Excellent. You remember, Ginger?" he gestured to the familiar blonde. I confirmed.

"Very good. I will glamour something into her mind and allow you to retrieve it for me once I have finished," he said with a wink, "It will hone your skill."

I nodded, it was logical.

Eric instructed Ginger to take the seat beside him. Softly, he whispered to her in the slithery tone of a lover, "Ginger, look at me." He was smooth and Ginger's gaze was pinned into his ice blue eyes, making her fall into a trancelike state. He whispered to her some instructions. Then, as if the exchange never took place, her eyes snapped into focus.

"Ginger, I need you to do something for Sookie," he said, gazing at me as he said it, "Take her hand and allow her to enter your mind."

"Yes, master," Ginger said, quickly. Her right hand shot out towards me swiftly, eager to please. I was going to barf, but I took her hand, regardless. Score one for maturity!

It took me a few minutes to siphon her thoughts and look for what Eric could have possibly altered in her head. What became obvious was the vague fog that tickled my mind in her brain. The texture was different from the rest of her thoughts. Things like what she would have for dinner, the sale on mascara and eyeliner at Wal*Mart. It stood out.

Focusing on that impression, I waded into the fog.

The bar was quite barren tonight, so Pam sent Ginger to the stockroom to get a head start on inventory. She had been working a few hours, taking note of the bottles of whisky, scotch and vodka and their brands when she heard a crashing noise from out in the hall. Pulling herself up on her stiletto clad feet, she hurried to the source.

Dashing down the hall was a little difficult in the tight, flowing skirt and the stilettos, but she had the technique down. Coming upon her master's office, she found the door ajar! Oh no!

She pushed the door open and was met with a sight. The computer, office supplies and other files had been knocked off Eric's ornate carved wooden desk. I, Sookie Stackhouse, was sitting on it in the outfit I wore now…Only my legs were curled around Eric's waist! My dress was bunching up high on my thighs and the hemline was rising even quicker. Eric's big hand was sliding up the skin of my thigh. His other hand was at my back, sliding the zipper down. My hand was on his shoulder, fisting the fabric there roughly. My other hand was trailing up the skin of his well defined abs. His abs were on display from my hand inching up his shirt. We were embroiled in a passionate kiss, all lips, tongue and teeth. His lips then left my lips to suck on my neck. I threw my head back and moaned.

My hand recoiled off Ginger's immediately, I blushed and balked, gasping.

Eric smirked at me, mischief in his eyes and something predatory too.

My eyes narrowed and anger, red and violent, filled my vision. Crossing my arms over my chest, I glared at him, "That will never happen."

He laughed at me jovially, "Never say never."

Ginger took everything in with a quiet, confused air.

"Congratulations, you completed your task with expediency. You're coming along quite nicely."

"I live for your praise. I'm so glad you approve," I snarked, "Now remove it from her mind!"

Eric sighed exaggeratedly, "You're ruining my fun."

"You're ruining my reputation!"

"Oh we can't have that," Eric teased. Nevertheless, he called Ginger's name without further reluctance or quips and repeated the process of glamouring her.

Once completed, my hand darted out to clasp Ginger's, scanning her mind. I breathed a sigh of relief, the offending images were gone and in their place was Ginger taking note of the number of industrial sized cans of chocolate sauce and gravy.

Eric raised an eyebrow at my actions, "Don't you trust me? I'm hurt."

I snorted, "Not as far as I can throw you."

"You are most welcome to throw me. Against the walls, the bed, the desk…"

I glared at him. I knew that commanding him to treat me like the lady I was would only egg on his vulgarity towards me. It was better to hold my tongue in this case, no matter how much I wanted to release its acridness upon him.

"You've had enough for tonight," he observed, "Come back tomorrow and we'll continue your training."

"What makes you think I'll come back after that stunt?" I fingered my half full drink threateningly.

He laughed, looking at me like he knew something I didn't. Then, he stood and left my table still laughing and amused. Winking at me he said, "I'll see you soon, Miss Stackhouse." He made it sound like a promise.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed that little ditty! Coming under 2000 words can be a rarity for me lol. I promise I'm starting my recap/review of Episode 4. I'll start the next chapter of Every Sunset very soon too…probably next week if I have time, but most definitely the one after that. I just got home from vacation and I need to do the double header of the Episode 4 recap and then finish the Episode 5 recap on time. I do admit this is something to keep you all tied down while I write the next chapter.

More little oneshots will probably come when I continue to reread the series and they come to me. Let's just say that I do envision Sookie eventually coming back the next day. Then later with Bill when they got thing sorted out a bit. This was a lot of fun to write. I got the idea when Sookie said that she had learned to focus her ability by using the waiters at Fangtasia. Eric just couldn't resist having a bit of fun.

~simba_317


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